In the field of neuroimaging, there is a significant impediment to collecting data from a subject while maintaining the subject immobilized during the data collection process. Neuroscientists and medical professionals routinely measure the brain's response to specific stimuli as a subject lies still with the head placed in a “helmet” like device known as a head coil. The subject is then moved into a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (“MRI”) scanner. A subject is often required to lie still in the scanner for periods of up to 2 hours at a time with the subject's head in a “cage-like” helmet. The head coil which creates the sense of being placed in a cage over the head often causes anxiety in the subject because the head coil is very small and the subject often feels confined. If the subject moves his head, the data collected may have to be discarded because the measurements in an MRI scanner are extremely sensitive to such movement. This is a serious complication in the field of neurobiology. The costs for these procedures are high, and subject recruitment is difficult. If data from the MRI have to be discarded, information needed to analyze the results may be lost from the research studies or tests.
Accordingly, there is an urgent need for a head restraint system which is able to provide comfort to a subject, and convenience and versatility for its user. The present invention provides such a head restraint system, comprising a head restraint kit adapted for use with a restraint device such as a head coil. The head restraint kit of the present invention includes a head rest pillow for providing support to the head of a patient, a neck cushion for providing neck support, and one or more wedge cushions for providing further support for the head. The head restraint kit may also contain one or more compact square cushions which can be inserted into a space between the head and the head coil for additional head support. The head restraint kit further contains a cloth strap placed over the forehead of a patient for protecting and securing the head against movement. When used together with a head coil for MRI, a subject is able to hold still for the extended time period required for collecting data. When used appropriately, the head restraint kit provides support for both the head and neck of a subject for an extended period of time.
What was used Before the Present Invention
Although there are pillows used to restrain patient movement, these pillows are not effective at restraining movement, providing patient comfort or being adaptable to meet specific location constraints. For example, Newmatic Sound Systems (newmaticsound.com) offers foam-like pillows. In addition, some MRI manufacturers also provide their own foam products with their scanners. However, these pillows are either too small or too large and too stiff to help create the sense of support and comfort necessary for use with a head coil for immobilizing the head and neck of a subject for a long period of time without motion.
Furthermore, rubber items have been attempted for immobilizing a patient's head and neck. However, these rubber items often lead to pressure points on the subject's head, causing the subject to move during the procedures to try and alleviate this discomfort. In addition to using these rubber pads, other methods have been used to help a subject hold still in the MRI scanner, but none meet the objects of this head restraint system. One method is using a polyurethane product that is molded with hot water to create the shape of a mask that specifically fits the subject's face and head, known as a “Zorro” mask due to the way eye holes are created to fit the subject's face. These masks failed due to elevated feelings of claustrophobia and discomfort caused by having the material pressed against the face for long periods of time. Another method is to use a cervical collar made for patients with cervical injuries. It was hoped that by placing a subject in a restraining device that keeps his head and neck in a specific position, the subject would be unable to move. This approach also failed because the restraining device would press into the subject's neck and head causing pain and discomfort. This device had to be quickly removed, and left visible marks on the subject's skin where the collar was tightened. An additional method is to use a “bite bar” (medicalproductsdirect.com), a device that attaches to the head coil over the subject's mouth and then the subject bites down on a rubber plate that is made from an impression taken of his mouth prior to entering the scanner. This device also failed in that the subject complained about having difficulty in swallowing as well as discomfort in the jaw and mouth. Inflatable bead bags have also been tried, but have failed due to skin discomfort, causing subjects to move. None of these aforementioned devices or methods have addressed the main issue, of securely supporting the head and neck while making a subject comfortable so that the subject will remain immobile for an extended period.